An 18-year-old man was today convicted of murdering a retired clergyman.

A jury of six men and six women at Lewes Crown Court found Christopher Hunnisett guilty of killing the Reverend Ronald Glazebrook, 81, from St Leonards, in April last year.

Hunnisett, who lodged with the cleric, and his friend Jason Groves, 18, from Hastings, had pleaded guilty to preventing his lawful burial. Both men were 17 at the time.

Mr Glazebrook's severed head and limbs were found in a bag behind Summerfield leisure centre in Hastings and his torso off the A259 road near Eastbourne.

Hunnisett shook his head and looked shocked as the verdict was announced.

The jury took two hours and 10 minutes to reach its unanimous verdict.

Mr Justice Moses said he would sentence both Hunnisett and Grove tomorrow morning.

Hunnisett drowned Mr Glazebrook in the bath in April last year before telling two of his friends while rollerblading the next day, Philip Katz QC, prosecuting, had told the court.

He then enlisted one friend, Groves, to help him dispose of the body before lying to police investigating the clergyman's disappearance.

They took the body to Newhaven marina, originally planning to throw it into the sea, Mr Katz said.

Having abandoned that idea, the head and limbs were later found in a bag behind Summerfield Leisure Centre in Hastings and the torso off the A259 near Eastbourne.

Hunnisett attacked Mr Glazebrook at his flat in Dane Road, St Leonards, because of their worsening relationship, said Mr Katz, who stressed there were no sexual overtones.

A pathologist could not be certain about the cause of Mr Glazebrook's death but it was consistent with drowning, the court was told.

Mr Glazebrook could have been cut up with a saw found with the limbs and a blood-stained axe found at the flat, Mr Katz told the court.

Mrs Freeman, 46, from Surrey, had become concerned after her father failed to turn up at Christ Church in St Leonards.

Hunnisett first told police he had been away sailing, and later, that he had spent the afternoon rollerskating before going with Groves on a sailing trip which they abandoned, Mr Katz said.

He also told police a version of an incident two days before Mr Glazebrook died when he had found Groves in the flat late at night, Mr Katz had alleged.

He told the court that during the disagreement, Mr Glazebrook had cut the wires of the computer and tried to call police but Hunnisett had pulled the wires out and the elderly priest had sat in the hallway all night.

The next day, Mr Glazebrook wrote to Hunnisett's mother to say he could no longer cope with him living there, the court heard.

The letter, which was sealed and unsent, also stated: "He tells me he believes force is the solution to 98% of life's problems."